"He's is not a Test skipper," said the former Indian skipper during a media encounter on Tuesday. "You need a skipper who's worthy of his place in the eleven. Tell me is his 99 of any use to the team," added Bedi in a scathing tone.
Bedi’s comments have come after India lost the four-match home series against England 1-2, their first series loss to the Poms at home in almost 28 years. The last time the Asian giants had lost a series to the Three Lions had come in 1984-85, when England toured India under David Gower.
This is also the first time in the last eight years that the Men in Blue have suffered a Test series loss at home against any opposition, and first home defeat under MS Dhoni. Australia beat them with the same margin in 2004-05.
Bedi is the latest to comment on the Ranchi boy’s leadership skills besides questioning his role in the Test team, following his dismal show over the last two years. Earlier former Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Atul Wassan had also urged the selectors to sack Dhoni as Test captain.
Bedi said that the 31-year-old Ranchi gloveman should feel himself lucky for having lasted so long despite his team’s consistent poor show.
"Dhoni should feel lucky that he's still there. If Tiger Pataudi or Sunil Gavaskar had lost as many Tests, they wouldn't have lasted this long. He hasn't done enough to continue being the skipper. He should have been eased out after the World Cup win," Bedi told Headlines Today.
The 66-year-old former Amritsar cricketer also backed Delhi lad Virat Kohli to replace off-colour MS Dhoni at the helm.
"I would make Virat Kohli the captain. He's got a sharp cricketing brain. You got to trust the young blood. This is a young man's game," insisted the former Indian spinner.
India’s next Test assignment is a home series against Australia early next year.
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